reboot

1 of 2

verb

re·​boot (ˌ)rē-ˈbüt 

rebooted; rebooting; reboots

1

a

transitive + intransitive : to shut down and restart (a computer or program)

… the annoyance of having to reboot the computer to switch operating systems …

—Robert Weston

If anything ever happens to the original drive, you can reboot using the cloned drive and be up and running in minutes.

—Dan Frakes

b

intransitive : to start up again after closing or shutting down : to boot up again

waiting for a computer/program to reboot

2

a

transitive : to start (something) anew : to refresh (something) by making a new start or creating a new version

It's probably not an overstatement to say Sandberg is embarking on the most ambitious mission to reboot feminism and reframe discussions of gender since the launch of Ms. magazine in 1971.

—Belinda Luscombe

reboot an old TV series

b

intransitive : to start anew : to make a fresh start

The interior designer's heart was telling her to reboot and downsize …

—Susan Heeger

reboot

2 of 2

noun

re·​boot ˈrē-ˌbüt 

plural reboots

1

: the act or an instance of shutting down and restarting something (such as a computer or program)

In a few cases, errors cause a headlong exit to DOS or the software ceases to operate, requiring a reboot.

—George F. Hepner

2

: the act or an instance of starting (something) anew or making a fresh start

In a massive reboot last fall, all 200 rooms were done up in geometric rugs and curvy leather headboards.

—Jen Murphy

Examples of reboot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

When this happens, Sanchez has to pull over and reboot the truck. —Pat Maio, Orange County Register, 16 Nov. 2024

But a private equity firm that bought the company’s intellectual property has rebooted it with the help of former employees. —Max Scheinblum, The Denver Post, 13 Nov. 2024

Noun

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who split the role of the youngest Tanner sister in the original series, famously declined to appear in the Netflix reboot, having retired from acting. —John Russell, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024

It could be pinned on the success of Wednesday, or the recent buzz around the Beetlejuice reboot. —Tacita Quinn, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1980, in the meaning defined at sense 1